chance



Dec. 20, 1932. CHANCE Re. 18,697

EARTH- ANCHOR Original Filed May 26, 1928 2 sheatfl-sheet 1 5 1 14 A? 5fizvenibr .flerZX/S. 67207268.

Dec. 20, 1932.

A. B. CHA NCE EARTH ANCHOR Original Filed May 2a. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'dierfi Ckarzce aM-A M 21 shown in the Rem: n. .20, 19a;

ALBERT 3. CHANCE, OF OENTBALIA, MISSOURI EARTH ANCHOR Original No.1,788,228, dated December 88, 1980, Serial No. 280,899, illed Kay 26,1928. Application. for

reissue filed January 23, 1932. Serial No. 588,452.

' The present invention relates to earth anchors, and is particularlyconcerned with earth anchors of the expansible type.

One of the objects of the .present invention is the provision of animproved commercial form of the ex ansible anchor shown in United Statesatent No. 1,546,327, issued July 14, 1925, to Herbert M. Taylor andFrank Sutclifl'e, and by them assigned to me.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedexpanding anchor which is more quickly and economically manufactured andassembled than the anchors of the prior art, and which is capable ofwithstanding greater strains and abuse than the prior anchors.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedconstruction for the expanding anchors of the class described,

:0 which includes a housing for enclosing and guiding the slidablefiukes and improved orms of toggle arms and cross-heads, which arestronger and more easily manufactured and assembled than the parts ofthe anchors rior art.

Another ob ect of the invention is the provision of'an extremely simpleand economical form of the expanding anchor above mentioned, from whichall complicated parts 80 have been eliminated and in which thenumber ofseparate arts has been reduced to a minimum, there y decreasing the costof manufacture.

1 Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedcross-head structure for earth anchors and the like having an improvedmode of pivotally mounting levers or other members upon the cross-headin such manner as to better withstand the excessive strain placed uponsuch pivotal mountings.

Another object is the provision of an improved earth anchor having animproved cross-head and improved pivotal mountings for the levers on thecross-head in order to eliminate the difiiculties encountered with thepivotal mountings of the prior art, the rivets of which were frequentlysheared oil during the tamping on the cross-head to expand the anchor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fullyfrom the following description and from the accompanyin drawings, inwhich similar characters of re erence indicate similar parts throughoutthe several views. i

Referring to the drawings, of which there are three sheets, Y

, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved expanding anchor;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a medial, cross sectional, elevational view taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the housing and flukes;

Fig. 5 is an elevational cross sectional view taken on the line 55 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective, in partial section, of the strip forpivoting the links on the crosshead;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective, in partial section, of the crossheacl.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, 10 indicates in its entirety, my anchor whichis adapted to be secured to a guy rod 11 having an eye 12 adapted toreceive a cable and provided with a threaded end 13. The anchor ispreferably provided with a bottom plate 14 which may be of any shape,but which is preferably of substantially circular form, in order toconform to the shape of holes dug by the usual methods.

The bottom or washer plate 14 is providedv with a centrally locatedaperture 15 adapted adapted to receive flanges 17 upon a housingmember18.

The housing or crown member 18 comprises a substant ally rectangularpiece of sheet metal having a downwardly turned flange 19 at each end,which may have an extension 17 o f'less width forming shoulders 20 oneach side of the extension flange 17 for engagement with the body of thebottom plate 1 1.

The bottom plate or washer plate 14 00- operates with the crown memberor housing member 18 to guide the flukes from above and from below, andthese plates are particularly eflicacious in strengthening the anchorstructure and supporting the flukes in pro or position when the flukesare full exten ed, because there is only a relatively small area of eachfluke in engagement wit the other fluke when the anchor is fullyextended. v

The extension flanges 17 pass through the elongated slots or apertures16 in the bottom plate 14 and are bent over as at 21, therebypermanently assembling these arts. The housing member 18 is also provied with an aperture 22 in substantial alignment with the aperture 15 inthe bottom plate.

In order to provide means whereby the nut 23 may be held so that the guyrod 11 may be removed when the anchor is in place in the earth, and toprovide means whereb the guy rod may be driven into the eart when it isdesired to abandon the entire anchor, I provide my bottom plate with apair of sheet metal members 24 which are adapted to secure the nut 23against rotation, and which are also adapted to be bent apart to releasethe nut when a blow is delivered by a sledge or other driving means atthe eye of the guy rod.

The members 24 may comprise str? s of sheet metal, each having anattaching ange 25, a flange 26 extending at right angles to saldattaching flange and a retaining flange '27 substantially parallel tothe attaching flange. The retaining flanges may be formed withsubstantially semi-circular grooves 28 so that they are adapted toencircle the guy rod 11.

The flanges 25 may be secured to the bottom plate by spot welding as at29 and the flanges 24 are adapted to secure the nut against rotation sothat the guy rod may be removed even after the anchor is embedded in theearth. The subject-matter of this releasing device is described andclaimed in my Patent 1,755,811 of April 22, 1930, and will not thereforebe claimed in the present application. I

. Slidabl mounted within the housing, rovided by the housing member 18and the ttom plate14, are a pair of flukes 30 and 31, and the flukes 30and 31 may be formed of substantially rectangular sheets of metal'having rounded ends as at 32 and 33. In order to maintain the flukes inaligned position and to provide their sliding movement transversely tothe guy rod 11, the flukes are preferably each provided with anelongated slot 34 extending from one end to such a point past the centerof the anchor, that both flukes may embrace the guy rod 11.

The ends of the slots 24 may be rounded as at 35 so that when the flukesare in the position shown in Fig. 4, a substantially circular apertureis provided which is aligned withthe apertures 15 and 22 .in the bottomlate and housing member. The slots 34 may e slight- 1y1 widened as at 36to provide more room for t e toggle links 37 and 38, and the clips 39and 40.

this member and to increase the strength of the anchor as a whole. Theflukes 30 and 31 are likewise formed with corrugations 43, 44, 45 and 46of a size adapted to nest with each other, and within the corrugations41 provided by the bottom plate. The housing member 18 is likewiseprovided with corrugations 47 and 48 of smaller size adapted to becomplementary to the inner part of the corrugation 44 and 46 of theflukes 30 and 31.

In order that the flukes may be guided by each other as well as by thehousing, the flukes are provided with oflset portions 49 and 50 in suchmanner that they may be crossed at their center portions, each havin ale extending below a leg on the other flu e. be observed that the leg 51of the fluke 30 extends above the body. of the fluke 31, while the leg52 on the fluke 30 extends below the body of the fluke 31. In a similarmanner the lefg 53 on the fluke 31 extends above the body 0 the fluke30, while the leg 54 upon the fluke 31 extends below the body of thefluke 30.

It should also be noted that this crossing of the flukes renders itnecessary that corrugations on opposite sides of the fluke be ofdiflerent size in order that the corrugations may nest with each otherand with the corrugation in the bottom plate 14. Thus, in Fig. 2, thefluke 30 is provided with a corrugation at the left side which isadapted to nest within the corrugation 43 of the other fluke, and thecorrugation 44 is therefore third in size.

The corrugation 45 of the fluke 30 is second in size, being adapted tonest with the corrugation 42 of the'bottom plate and the corrugation 46of the fluke 31. The corrugation 46 of the fluke 31 is third in size,and the corrugation 43 of the same'fluke is second in size.

It will thus be observed that both the housing and the flukes areprovided with complementary corrugations which are adapted to permitsliding movement between the flukes and the housing and to retain thesemembers in their proper position, although the flukes.

be extended to a maximum amount, and furthermore, the corrugationsgreatly increase the strength of the anchor as a whole The flukes 30 and31 are each provided at their ends with a 'pair of elon ated slots 55which are adapted to receive t e legs of the clips 39 and 40, whichpivotally secure the flukes to the toggle links 37 and 38. The clips 39and 40 comprise strips of sheet metal bent to substantially U-shape andpassing through elongated apertures 56 in the links 37 and 38.

The legs 57 of the clips 39 and 40 may be bus it will provided withnarrower portions 58 adapted to be received in the slots 55, and whenthe legs of the clips are inserted in the slots and bent over as at 59,the clips are substantially riveted to the flukes between the ends 59and the shoulders 60 upon the clips.

The links 37 and 38 comprise substantially flat strips of metal such assteel, having formed therein a longitudinally extending rib 61, the ribterminating short of the elongated apertures 56 and 62 at each end ofthe links.

The links 37 and 38 are also pivotally connccted to a erosshead 63 bymeans of a sheet metal member 64 having a pair of arms '65 and 66 whichpass through the apertures 62 of the links.

The crosshead 63 comprises a cast metal member having a central bore 67surrounded by collar 67A of sufficient size to slidably receive the guyrod 11, the bore 67 being slightly enlarged at the top 68 to permit thearm of the metal member 64; to be bent down into the bore as at 69. Thecrosshead 63 is preferably formed with a laterally projecting flange 63Ahaving slots 70 at opposite sides and the slots 70 communicate withgrooves 71 extending across the top of the crosshead to the bore 67. Thecrosshead is' also provided with depending'lugs 72 spaced sufficientlyfrom the .base 73 of the slot 70 to permit the arm 65 to lie in theslots 70 with the portions 74 of the arms behind the lugs 72.

The metallic member 64 is also provided with an aperture 75 insubstantial alignment bore 67. When the spider 64 is secured in thismanner with portions 7 4 behind the lugs 72 on the crossheacl, a veryfirm and permanent mode of attachment is provided thereby.

The improved structure of the crosshead and means for pivotally mountingthe links or levers on the crosshead is a very important feature of thepresent invention. otal mountings of the prior' art, which were securedby rivets, were frequently broken during the tamping action on thecrosshead, as described in the next paragraph. Such tamping tended toshear the rivets ofl at the crosshead, and thus resulted in the failureof a number of anchors constructedaccording to the prior art. Thepresent securing memher on the crosshead is reinforced by its securementon both sides of the crosshead and manner that there is no possibilityof the -mg on the crosshead.

The piv pivotal connection being broken by the temp- The operation of myexpanding; anchor is substantially the same as that 0 those disclosedin'the prior patent above mentioned,

passing the guy rod throu h the ortion of the anchor and securing t enut elow the anchor. The anchor may then be inserted in the hole, whilethe parts are inthe position of Fig. 3 and by tamping upon thecrosshead, the force will be transmitted through the links to the flukeswhich will be forced outwardly, cutting into the walls of the hole inthe earth. The toggle links not onlyenable the projection of the flukes,but they reinforce the flukes after they have been projected intoengagement with the surrounding earth.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved commercialconstruction of 70 the anchor being attached to a guy rod by expansionanchor of the class described, in

which the anchor is provided with a bottom plate so that the flukesthemselves are adapted to slide more readily and the toggle links aresecured to thecrosshead without the use of rivets.

By means of the housing provided for the flukes, a much more durableconstruction is provided and the commercial anchor is adapted to beexpanded more readily than if the flukes were in direct engagement withthe earth below them at the beginning of their expansion.

\Vhile I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an expanding anchor the combination of a bottom plate with meanscarried by said late for guiding an anchor fluke, a fluke slida lymounted upon said plate, a crosshead, and a link connecting saidcrosshead and fluke, said means comprising a housing extending over saidfluke.

2. In an expanding anchor the combination of a bottom plate with meanscarried by said plate for guiding an anchor fluke, a fluke slida lymounted upon said plate, a cross head, and a link connecting saidcrosshead and fluke, said means comprising a housing extending over saidfluke, and said bottom plate being provided with complementarycorrugations.

3. In an expanding anchor the combination of a bottom plate with meanscarried by said plate for guiding an anchor fluke, a fluke slidablymounted upon said plate, a crosshead, a link connecting said crossheadand fluke, said crosshead comprising a metal member havinga notched edgeand a sheet metal member passing through said link and havin a partreceivable in said notch.

4. 1%1 an earth anchor, the combination of a bottom plate with a housingmember comprisin a plate of metal havin downwardly extenfing side flanes, said anges having portions extending t rough said bottom plate forretaining said plate and member in assembled relation, flukes slidablymounted in 1 said housing and means for projecting-said flukes.

5. Inan earth anchor, the combination of a bottom plate with a housingmember comprising a piece of metal having downwardly extending flanges,said flan es having portions extending through said bottom plate forretaining said plate and member in assembled relation, flukes slidablymounted in said housing, said flukes and bottom plate being providedwith complementary transverse corrugations.

6. In anearth anchor, the combination of a bottom plate with a housingmember comprising a piece of metal having downwardly extending flanges,said flanges having portions extending through said bottom plate forretaining said plate and member in assembled relation, flukes slidablymounted in.

said housing, said flukes and bottom plate being provided withcomplementary transverse corrugations, a crosshead, and links connectingsaid crosshead and said flukes.

7 In an earth anchor, the combination of a bottom plate with a housingmember comprising a piece of metal having downwardly extending flanges,said flanges having portions extending through said bottom plate forretaining'said plate and member in assembled relation, flukes slidablymounted in said housing, said flukes and bottom plate being'providedwith complementary transverse corrugations, a crosshead, and linksconnecting said crosshead and said flukes, said links being providedwith longitudinally extending pressed ribs.

8. In an earth anchor, the combination of a bottom plate with a housingmember comprising a piece of metal having downwardly extending flanges,said flanges having por- 1 tions extending through said bottom platetions extending through said bottom plate for retaining said plate andmember in assembled relation, flukes slidably mounted in said housing,said flukes and bottom plate being provided with complementarytransverse corrugations, a crosshead links connecting said crosshead andsaid flukes, and a sheet metal member having arms extendin through saidlinks andclamped upon sai crosshead, said crosshead being provided witha plurality of openings for receiving said arms.

10. In an earth anchor, the combination ofa bottom plate with a housingmember comprising a piece of metal having downwardly extending flanges,said flanges having portions extendin through said bottom plate forretaining sa d plate and member in assembled relation, flukes slidablymounted in said housing, said flukes and bottom plate being providedwith complementary transverse corrugations, a crosshead, linksconnecting said crosshead and said flukes, and a sheet metal memberhaving arms extending through said links and clamped upon saidcrosshead, said crosshead being provided with a plurality of openingsfor receiving said arms, and having shoulders for engagement with theoutside of said arms. I i

11. In an earth anchor, the combination of acrosshead having slots inits sides and downwardly extending lugs at the sides of said slots, witha metal strip for pivotally securing to gle links to said crosshead,said strip being ent about said crosshead within said slots and havinlaterally projecting portions engaging behin said lugs.

12. In an earth anchor, the combination of a crosshead having slots inits sides, with a metal strip for pivotally securing toggle links tosaid crosshead, said strip being bent about said crosshead within saidslots.

13. In an expanding anchor the combination of a bottom plate with anupper plate fixedly secured to said bottom plate and adapted to guide ananchor fluke, a crosshead adapted to be slidably mounted on a guide rod,a pair of anchor flukes slidably mounted with respect to each otherbetween said plates and a pair of links, each link being pivotallyconnected to said crosshead and pivotally connectedto one of saidflukes, whereby said flukes are adapted to be extended by movement ofsaid crosshead on said guide rod.

. 14. In an expanding anchor the combination of a bottom plate with anupper plate fixedly secured to said bottom plate and adapted to guide ananchor fluke, a crosshead adapted to be slidably mounted on a guide rod,a pair of anchor flukes slidably mounted with respect to each otherbetween said plates and a pair of links, each link being pivotallyconnected to said crosshead and pivotally connected to one of saidflukes, whereby said flukes are adapted'to be extended by movement ofsaid crosshead on said guide rod, one of said plates being provided withslots and the other of said plates being formed with a transverse flangehaving a shoulder for engaging the other plate and with an integraltongue adapted to be secured in said slot.

15. In an earth anchor the combination of 'a metal crosshead having acentrally located to said crosshead, said strip being formed with a bodyportion located on one side of said crosshead, with attaching endportions secured to said crosshead and intermediate curved portions forpivotal engagement with pivotal members carried by said crosshead. 17.In a device of the class described a metal crosshead comprising a metalmember having a centrally located bore with a collar surrounding saidbore on one side of said crosshead, a laterally extending flange at theother side of said crosshead, said crosshead being formed with recessesfor receiving a securing stri a 15 5 In a device of the class describedthe combination of a metal crosshead having a centrally located boreforming a guide for a guy rod, said crosshead being formed with a collarabout said guy rod and transversely extending flanges above said collarforming a recess for receiving the end of a pivoted member and a metalstri having its ends secured to the transverse li anges of saidcrossextending through said bore and slidably engaging the, walls of thebore, a second member pivotally mounted on said crosshead, said memberhaving an aperture adjacent said crosshead, and a metal member extendingfrom one side of said y rod to the other and having a bore for sai guyrod, said bore registering with the bore in saidcrosshead, said metalmember having an arm extending through the aperture in said secondpivotally mounted member and the end of said arm being secured to saidcrosshead. v

21. In an earth anchor, the combination of a metal crosshead member,having a centrally located cylindrical bore forming a guide, with asubstantially cylindrical metal rod extending through said bore andslidably engaging the walls of the bore, a second member pivotallymounted on said crosshead, said member having an aperture adjacent saidcrosshead, and a metal member extending from one side of said guy rod tothe other and having a bore for said guy rod, said bore registering withthe bore in said crosshead, said metal member having a pair ofoppositely extending arms secured to opposite sides of said crossheadand one of said arms extending through the aperture in the end of saidpivotally mounted member.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th da ofJanuary, 1932.

ALB RT B CHANGE.

head at opposite sides and extending across the bottom of said crossheadover said recesses.

19. In a device of the class described the combination of a metalcrosshead having a centrall located bore forming a guide for a guy rosaid crosshead being formed with apertures-to pivotally support saidpivoted members on said crosshead.-

20. In an earth anchor, the combination of a metal crosshead member,having a centrall located cylindrical bore forming a 'de, wit

a substantially cylindrical me guy rod

